Craftmanship: beautifying God’s world

"In an age of specialization, we might to tempted to delegate the task of holiness to the ‘saints.’ The truth is that, according to God’s plan, we are all called to take part in and reflect the holiness of the Church, purified by water and word." (Magnificat, October 2003, p. 318).

Jesus became human, and the relationship between the human and the divine will never be the same. Christians are called upon to reverence the material world, to work with ones’ hands in creating the new and unusual, the beautiful, the useful. In so doing, the Christian becomes a channel of God’s goodness to others through artistic and creative work that beautifies the physical world. Holiness and creativity are closely related. Extraordinary talents? No, not necessarily. The gift of the Spirit moves one to take the ordinary and "make something beautiful for God" as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was so fond of saying.

The gift of Craftsmanship can be demonstrated in the kitchen as a devoted wife prepares a delicious meal for family or guests. At the sewing machine or at the construction site of a new house, the gift can be evident. In painting an old cabinet or a masterpiece, decorating the new baby’s crib, harvesting a successful tomato crop, fixing the leaking faucet, changing a tire for someone in need, building a cathedral...is there anyone who can say truthfully, "I don’t have the gift of Craftsmanship? I don’t know how to beautify anything"?

As one’s creative charism is developed, is there a noticeable deepening of one’s prayer life? A fuller appreciation in ways to express one’s faith? In whatever way the charism is evident, one is working hand in hand with God in the material universe, and making beauty all around, assisting God in the transformation of the earth, channeling God’s goodness to others.

In 20th Century Italy, a lay Dominican known as Bartolo Longo came upon the plight of the poor in a wasteland area near Pompeii. He vowed he would make it a better place to live. Besides building a great basilica to honor the Lady of the Rosary, he provided thousands of abandoned orphan children with a loving home in a complex of buildings near the basilica. Using the charism of Craftsmanship, Bartolo Longo also created a beautifully landscaped garden for the children’s enjoyment. He had indeed "made something beautiful for God." This humble unassuming man was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

Another contemporary who made life more livable for the unfortunate was Father Henry Pire, O.P. He was the winner of a Nobel Peace prize. Acting under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the charism of Craftsmanship, he established a village for World War II Belgian refugees.

The redemption wrought by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a wonder no one could ever have expected, even from a God who loves unconditionally. The response of the Christian is to make this world a more beautiful, more loving place for all God’s family.